Tuesday, May 31, 2011

The MakeUp Show Says GoodBye To New York And Hello To Chicago!

It's Yours Truly, Ascending Butterfly at the 2011 New York MakeUp Show


Last year and this year I had the pleasure of attending  The New York MakeUp Show. The Show which says Goodbye To New York, is headed to Chicago, and it's a must event for all fellow MakeUp Mavens! So if you are in or near Chi-Town, be sure to catch The MakeUp Show Chicago, running Sunday, June 12 - Monday June 13, 2011.

The Makeup Show will bring together your top brands and inspirational artists and educators for two amazing days of community, career and craft building. Learn about the newest lines and product launches. Explore makeup workshops and discover school programs. Network with your peers. Develop new relationships and ignite your passion with the Windy City.

While I have only attended the show for the past two years, this year marked The MakeUp Show's Sixth Consecutive Year in NYC!  Some of the brands in attendance included Make Up For Ever (check out the neat picture I included of them in action at the preview event), Stila, Face Atelier, Smashbox (We have had the pleasure of working with Smashbox often for reviews and giveaways since 2009, and it's always great to see them at the show! And re-stock on my faves like their Primer!), Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics, Inglot, Iredale Minerals, Kevyn Aucoin, Yves Saint Laurent, Becca Cosmetics (We have also worked with Becca on a review and giveaway here on Ascending Butterfly, I can't say enough about them or their creative packaging) and this year was Nars debut at the show!

Make Up For Ever MakeUp Artist Prepping a Model for Living Marionette Show, New York Groove Event, NY MakeUp Show


I attended the Blogger Preview this year (I can't tell you what was in the Goodie Bags this year, as I didn't receive one, and unfortunately was told it was because fellow Bloggers took multiple bags, leaving some of us with none), however the highlight of the show was the New York Groove Evening Reception - A Gallery of Makeup Art, Fashion and Cocktails! (Need I say more?)

Attendees (including yours truly) had the opportunity to watch the most creative makeup artists in the industry at work, and there was even a living Marionette show!

And all that was just the preview before the actual show! The show offers various workshops, exhibitors, demos, opps to be made over yourself (try to arrive early, you will  more than likely be given a time to go back to the booth. My favorite all time ever Make Over was at Jane Iredale's Booth at The NY MakeUp Show!) and some exhibitors do offer samples. The show also offers exclusive buying opportunties (just remember as tempting as it may be, ask before you grab, some booths are selling, others are not), so you can sample that hot new gloss, or color, and if you discover later it wasn't right for you, at least you nabbed it at a discount!


One of the things I love most about events, are meeting fellow NYC based bloggers in person and finally putting faces to the names! Here is a picture of me (middle) and the bloggers extraordinaire behind Lipstick and Luxury (right) and Definition Royale (left)!

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FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a compensated post, this is a non-sponsored post. I attended the MakeUp Show as a member of the online press, and I was not asked to post a recap, I am posting one because I am a makeup lover and enjoyed the event!

Monday, May 30, 2011

Happy Memorial Day!



 

Just wanted to take a moment to say Thank You to our Soldiers. I have a few family members who have served throughout the years, my great-grandfather a decorated Vet, and I have a great respect for the sacrifices made on a daily basis by our soldiers AND their family and friends.

However you decide to spend your day remember to take a moment to thank a soldier today!

I'm feeling filled with gratitude today and I hope you are too!
Wishing you and yours a very blessed Memorial Day!

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Sunday, May 29, 2011

Sunday Moment of Gratitude, Winners List, Active Giveaways and MORE!



This week, I am grateful for
:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - For another reminder to simply be grateful for each day! As you know, I spent the bulk of the week at the BlogWorld East New Media Expo which was sharing space with BookExpo America. I didn't have much time to visit BookExpo, but when I did get a chance to visit, Jane Fonda was speaking, I had a chance to stay and hear her Questions and Answers with the audience, and she was asked "What inspires you?", and her response was quite simple yet very profound "Still Being Around", "Just the fact that I'm still here inspires me". Her response has stayed with me all week. And when problems seemed to overwhelm my thoughts, I remembered that just being here really is the gift, and if you have another day you can let it be a clean slate or merely a repeat of the one that came before.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Even though I'm spending mine mostly getting caught up, I am very happy that it's Memorial Day Weekend! How are you celebrating this weekend? At the beach? Family Barbeque?

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - The opportunity to learn from my peers in the industry. BlogWorld has helped me to feel even more energized about my blog and my writing. The only real roadblock to my success are my perceptions and thoughts, and those can be always be improved and changed to suit my highest good!  I will post more recaps about specific sessions and some over due event recaps throughout the week.

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WINNERS: Thanks for your patience everyone, I have a long overdue winners list to share! CONGRATULATIONS to our 8 winners!!!!

1800baskets.com Basket of YOUR Choice ($100 and under) Giveaway, 3 Winners:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Eyewonit
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - ChicnSavvy
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Ericka T

MOR Cosmetics Heart Shaped Tin in Scent of Choice Giveaway, 3 Winners:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ -Cataroo
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Kkenty (If you are reading this, I sent you an email regarding prize fulfillment that needs to be answered before you can receive your prize, please answer as soon as possible).
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Hoa

Earthies The Veria Shoe in Color of Choice Giveaway, 1 Winner:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Saraanny83

$200 B-Glowing.com Digital Gift Certificate, 1 Winner:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Patricia S.

Please Note: All winners have confirmed! We post winner usernames only out of respect for privacy.

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What are you grateful for today? I'd love for you to write in and share what you are grateful for this week. The more you say it, the more you speak it, and the more you live in gratitude, the more you will find reasons to be grateful for, and the more reasons that the universe will send you to be grateful for. So join me on this journey of gratitude and inspiration. And you can post here daily (even though my list will be posted weekly).

Remember, attitude really does determine altitude.

It is OK to *Re-Tweet* the link to this post and You can find me on Twitter here (@Tracy_Iglesias) Twitter love: re*tweet by copying and pasting the following into your update field at Twitter:

OK to RT: @Tracy_Iglesias This Week's 'Moment of Gratitude' and Great giveaways! - http://tiny.cc/n4Thx

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Active Giveaways!

1) Ends 05/31 - Featured Handbag in the Spotlight: Pelle Camden Belted Leather Satchel Giveaway! Winners choice of color! ARV $225 (Birkin Style for the girl who doesn't want to sacrifice style while sticking to her budget!) Enter HERE

2) Ends 06/02 - Borghese Spa Bella Gift Set Giveaway! - Filled with amazing products in a perfect summertime tote, keep it for yourself or give it to someone special. Enter HERE

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For those of you who are interested in keeping a gratitude journal this year, here is my recommendation and where to purchase it:
















Make this Your Best Day ever, Bless and Be Blessed!

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FTC Disclosure: Journal Recommendation uses an Amazon Affiliate Link

Friday, May 27, 2011

{CLOSED} Borghese Spa Bella Gift Set Giveaway!

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This giveaway is now CLOSED. Thanks so much to our wonderful sponsor Borghese! We look forward to working with you again! The winner has been notified and upon confirmation, follower name will be posted both here and on our homepage. Remember: There are great giveaways active on the upper right hand side of the page!
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Ascending Butterfly's Annual Mother's Month Buying Guide Giveaway, brought to you by:


Yes it is still Mother's Month at Ascending Butterfly, with all the craziness of BlogWorld 2011 finally coming to an end, I'm catching up on emails, entries and of course blog posts. I wanted to get this post up before BlogWorld, but I didn't get a chance, so I want to start by thanking our dear friends at Borghese for their patience.

I've been using Borghese products (my personal longtime fave is the Fango Mud Mask) well before my Blogging Days, so when I recommend them, I do so because they are a brand I buy anyway!

This week I've been in 'go go go' mode with very little rest (felt much like the Energizer Bunny), with a back to back schedule that left little time for adequate hydration and my skin really paid for it! While makeup has its place, the foundation for great skin is taking good care of it. And even if you have oily or combination skin, it still requires proper hydration to maintain it's health! This weekend aside from trying to catch up on much needed rest, I am planning on some 'at home spa day' treatments to thank my skin for putting up with the abuses I put it through this week!

Spa Bella Mother's Day Gift Set

Pictured Above: Spa Bella Mother's Day Gift Set

Included in the Set:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Gel Delicato Gentle Makeup Remover - a luxurious and lightweight gel that never robs skin of moisture as it lifts away makeup. (I love not having to tug at my skin to get makeup off, especially now as we are approaching summer. This time of year I switch to waterproof everything, requiring a very solid remover, I love having a remover that gets it all off, but doesn't dry or strip my skin in the process!)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Fango Active Mud for Face and Body  - Stimulate and firm the skin while gently detoxifying. (This is my favorite Mud Mask of all time! It never over dries my skin, and it makes my face look just like my skin does after a pricey spa facial treatment!)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Sali Esfoliante Salt Scrub - Purifies your skin. (I love salt scrubs, your skin needs exfoliation year round, many people cut back on them in the summer which is actually a mistake, the dead skin cells need to be sloughed off your skin or they clog your pores, so don't cut back on your exfoliation routine just because the weather is getting warm!)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - CuraForte Moisture Intensifier - Allows moisturizing products to perform to the max and provides lavish hydration. (Use much like you would a makeup primer, especially if you are more partial to mineral/powder foundations)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Cura di Vita Protettivo Protective Moisturizer SPF 15 - I love this and use it daily, it offers SPF protection, hydration and doesn't make my skin oily.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Fluido Protettivo Advanced Spa Lift for Eyes - With my jam packed schedule, I never skip this step! I'm also prone to dark circles from my dads side of the family so I really try to make a concerted effort to use products that help with under eye circles.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Tono Body Creme - Give skin the moisture it needs for a healthy glow. If you are going to spend the day at the beach you can put on your sunblock during the day, and then use this at night after your shower, your skin will thank you for it in the morning!

All packed in a perfect-for-summer Straw Tote lined with signature “B” pattern. A $209.00 value, priced at $52.50.

My Take

This is a great gift not just for Mother's Day but a perfect gift for summer month birthdays too! Attending a pool party at a friends house? Dinner party during the summer months, bring this as a hostess gift. It's unique, thoughtful and will be very much appreciated! And this set couldn't possibly be more timely since this is the start of Memorial Day Weekend.

You didn't think I'd forget about you right? Who loves you butterfly?

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - WIN IT! - Ascending Butterfly and our friends at Borghese have a very special surprise for 1 lucky winner! 1 winner will win the Spa Bella Mother's Day Gift Set!

Don't you just ♥ Borghese? I know I do!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - How to Win: (1) You must be a PUBLIC follower of Ascending Butterfly to be eligible for this and all giveaways. Indicate in your entry that you follow (if your 'comment name/user id' differs from your profile id, please let me know what name you follow under) and (2)MANDATORY entry-Visit Borghese and  Link us to another great item that catches your eye! (3) You must also leave your email address somewhere in your comment. (You can format it this way for security, example: ascendingbutterfly AT mail host DOT com). (If your email is clearly visible in your profile, you can just say so, that's OK!) Please follow the easy 1, 2, 3 steps to winning (or in this case, the A,B,C’s of winning!) This giveaway is open to USA residents who are 18 years of age or older. No PO Boxes.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Please follow directions or you will be disqualified! All comments are moderated, they may not appear on the site right away (comments like "I want this" or "I want to win" will not be entered). You have from Friday, May 27, 2011 until Thursday, June 02, 2011 at 03:00 PM (EST) to comment and be entered for a chance to win. You will have 48 hours to confirm if we do not hear from you we will be forced to move on to an alternate. (We only notify winners DIRECTLY via email, so if your profile or your comment does not have an email your entry will not be processed)

EXTRA CREDIT:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Rock the VOTE - it's super easy and a ONE time only, Please vote for me, Tracy Iglesias (in red jacket)  - http://www.yourbestpose.com/competition/?id=1#6

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Blog about this giveaway, linking to this giveaway post. Leave the URL in a comment. (If your blog post contains more than just a pic and link you'll get 5 extra credit entries! Leave five entries.)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - In the spirit of Mother's Day Fun share with us your favorite advice that your mom has given you! (and yes, if you were not raised by your mom, you can share with us the best wisdom received by the person who did raise you!)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Grab our NEW Button and put it on your Blog. Leave the URL where we can see it in a comment (if you have our old one, please swap it out, our URL address has changed!)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Follow @Tracy_Iglesias on Twitter (this is ascendingbutterfly’s editor) and give me your twitter ID in a comment

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Follow @@BorgheseBeauty on Twitter

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Follow @Ascending1 on Twitter (this is Ascending Butterfly's new account, we will soon be hosting twitter parties which necessitates having a second account so we can make updates throughout the entire party!)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ -Tweet this:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - @Ascending1 + @BorgheseBeauty Spa Bella Gift Set #Giveaway! Ends 06/02 Pls RT- http://tinyurl.com/443bxp7

(Leave a comment with the tweet’s url so you can get a valid entry (click on the time your tweet was sent to get the direct URL and then copy and paste it here). You can Tweet TWICE per DAY. If you Tweet more than that, that entry will be disqualified.)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Digg about this giveaway and leave your digg username in your comment

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Fave this blog on Technorati and leave your Technorati user name in your comment

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Follow Ascending Butterfly on Facebook HERE

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Follow Borghese and tell them Ascending Butterfly Sent You (I'm sure they'd love for you to tell them which Product you most want to try also!) on Facebook HERE (Please post the link to your facebook comment, you can get that link the same way you get your link to your tweets!)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Follow Ascending Butterfly on Networked Blogs HERE

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Join Ascending Butterfly's NEW Community/Real Time Chat, Group HERE

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - One time only, NOT a daily: Vote for Ascending Butterfly on: Fuel My Blog

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Have you entered another active giveaway on Ascending Butterfly? Let me know which one and you’ll get more extra credit!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Have you commented on a non-giveaway entry? Let me know which one here and you’ll get more extra credit!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Press the button below and join, you get an extra entry for this giveaway and a shot at more great prizes, lets win together! (one time extra credit, will be verified before entry can be accepted)

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FTC Disclosure Info for this Giveaway: This is not a paid insertion. This is a non-compensated post and all opinions regarding the product and the sponsor are my own experiences. I was provided product to facilitate the review and giveaway. The sponsors are fulfilling directly to prize winner(s), this in no way influenced my opinion of the products. Once a winner is selected and their information has been forwarded to the sponsor, the responsibility of prize fulfillment rests with the sponsor.

Thursday, May 26, 2011

The WiFi Gods have NOT been playing nice! BlogWorld NYC, Fleet Week and More!

BlogWorld NY 2011 Keynote: Mega LBS or Mega BS — Photo Credit: BlogWorld & New Media Expo Blog


Yet again the WiFi Gods and my portable device are not playing nicely so my plans to live blog at the BlogWorld New Media Expo (#BWENY) have been thwarted!

Not to worry I am taking very detailed notes of the sessions I attended, and will post blog recaps this week. In the interim, I have been tweeting out memorable quotes from various sessions! Check out my twitter stream to read the quotes!

Some Random Thoughts and Observations:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - While I have attended and exhibited at my fair share of Conferences and Trade Shows, This is my second major blogging conference. The first time, I put WAY too much on my itinerary for each day, this time around I made more time to focus in on sessions, panels and learning, and I'm very glad I did!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - I am catching many bloggers doing something this year that bothered me last year. A laser beam focus on meeting speakers, exhibitors and brands, and practically snubbing one another. Example: I was speaking to someone and a fellow blogger 'joined in' on the conversation just as me and the person I was speaking to were about to exchange cards, I handed one to the person I was speaking to and one to the blogger, she didn't hand it back, but after looking at my pass and realizing I was 'just a fellow blogger' she wasn't going to give me hers..... No names being used here to protect the innocent, but if bloggers thought more about the power our numbers have, they'd realize banding together in solidarity and forming relationships with one another is just as important if NOT more so, than the relationships we are forming with Brands.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - I have greatly been missing writing an inspirational post, so today I will share with you a quote from the conference that really resonated with me, 'My Thoughts Are My Power, and I will Never Run Out of Those.' - Isn't that a fantastic affirmation? I love that it applies to ANY walk of life, wherever you may find yourself personally and professionally, it's an empowering reminder!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - I love featuring Brands that give back, Corporations with A Conscience, I like using my Social Footprint for Good, and heard the term used today 'Social Activist' and had an AHA moment, that's exactly what I am! What is YOUR digital footprint saying about you?

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - There was a panel that focused on PR Agencies and Brands working better, and I thought to myself I should speak someday on a similar panel as I've sat on both sides of the house as a Public Relations person, and now on the blogging end of this age old debate. There is so much room for improvement in this area. Are you a blogger? Do you have tips for working better with PR Agencies?

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - I think ultimately what most conferences teach us is how to connect better, how to improve the ways we build personal relationships, and the sessions that stand out most are the ones that make you think about that topic in a whole new way!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - and I don't know who lined up this conference with the start of Fleet Week, but Thank You! This single gal certainly enjoyed walking out of the Jacob Javitz Convention Center and finding tons of cute sailors in Uniform out and about!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Yesterday's keynote was about geotracking location services. While the panelists were experts in their field and very knowledgeable, I am still not sold on using these services, it shocks many people when I tell them I do not have a FourSquare Account, but then again I never joined Virtual Life either. My real one is too busy. I don't want everyone to know what I'm doing, where I'm shopping and what events I'm attending at any given minute. What's YOUR take? Do you like it, hate it, fall somewhere in between?

Non Conference Related - I would really love your vote so I can win an iPad! (Maybe then I could finally live blog from the conferences!) - please press on the Vote button and vote for ME, Tracy Iglesias here: http://www.yourbestpose.com/competition/?id=1#6

I have been hard at work being your eyes and ears at the BlogWorld New Media Expo, very happy to have them in New York City this year, and I hope to catch them out in Vegas when the conference goes back out there.

And just a reminder, I am not responding to emails during the dates of the Expo, and all entries will be processed later on this weekend for our active giveaway located on the upper right hand side of the page!

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Monday, May 23, 2011

See you at the BlogWorld New Media Expo Tomorrow!



Last week I co-hosted a Twitter Party (#BWEchat) to help announce that the BlogWorld New Media Expo (#BWENY) was coming to New York City! And soon the big day will finally be here, the Expo begins Tuesday, May 24th and runs through May 26th. You will see Twitter Updates on my Twitter Feed @Tracy_Iglesias and blog updates as time and the wi-fi Gods allow!

For those of you looking for me, my twitter avatar is pretty accurate, except right now I'm sans bangs (Mother Nature is being unusually cruel and cranking up the humidity). I of course will have something 'butterfly' very visible, be it jewelry or clothing. I'll also have my red leather notebook with me, as great as netbooks and laptops are, I still like taking notes retro style!

This is the first time BlogWorld is hitting New York City, and much like last year's BlogHer Conference, I am SO happy to have this conference coming to my backyard! As much as I love to travel, this week I wouldn't have been able to fly out, so to have it here is a huge sigh of relief! I am keeping my fingers crossed that the MTA will be running on time this week, last week with various construction, it took me almost double the time to arrive everywhere than it should have!

I'll be in amazing company, bloggers, writers, podcasters, entrepreneurs and brands and like most conferences, I'm sure it's going to inspire me and turbo charge me into high gear!

The Book Expo is also sharing space with BlogWorld, so I'm looking forward to taking a walk over and checking out The Book Expo as well.

If you are attending and would like to meet up, Tweet Me! (@Tracy_Iglesias)

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Sunday, May 22, 2011

Sunday Moment of Gratitude - So if you are reading this....



This week, I am grateful for
:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - I suppose after all the hoopla on the news about the world coming to an end, that I should start by simply saying that I am grateful for today! The news has been amusing if nothing else, a 'rapture', then an apocalypse, then even more comical was the reports of a 'zombie apocalypse'. Thankfully I love Horror Movies, so I still remember the sage advice from the movie 'Zombieland'. Stock up on Snacks my friends, just in case.... LOL

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Ascending Butterfly will always be a place where all expressions of Faith and Inspiration are very much welcome. Today I took comfort in these words from the Holy Bible:

Matthew 24:36 "But of that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone."

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Because we don't know 'when and if' live each day as if it's your last, dance like nobody is watching, and in this day, be it large or small, make a BOLD move. Whatever you deep down, secretly thought you'd regret if the world had truly ended. DO IT. No more excuses. Make this an 'Excuses-Pacolypse'. (OK, that might have been a lot of creative liberty, writers prerogative, but you know what I mean!)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - I am still sorting through the mess that having my servers (both email and website) crash caused, thankfully entries appear to be returning and none have been lost so far, it's just taking me a bit to sort through them all, I've been burning the midnight oil most of the weekend, and hope to soon have winners selected and notified very soon for the Earthies, B-Glowing and 1800baskets.com Giveaways.

REMINDER: Again, PLEASE do NOT post duplicate entries for the Wilson's Pelle Camden Satchel if your entries still don't appear. I am working on sorting the entries that are being returned by the server in order of giveaway close out date, and since that giveaway doesn't close out until May 31st, the entries for that one aren't currently being sorted so that we can get the outstanding giveaways squared away first. As soon as we are fully caught up, new giveaways will launch, begining with our very patient friends at Borghese.

What are you grateful for today? I'd love for you to write in and share what you are grateful for this week. The more you say it, the more you speak it, and the more you live in gratitude, the more you will find reasons to be grateful for, and the more reasons that the universe will send you to be grateful for. So join me on this journey of gratitude and inspiration. And you can post here daily (even though my list will be posted weekly).

Remember, attitude really does determine altitude.

It is OK to *Re-Tweet* the link to this post and You can find me on Twitter here (@Tracy_Iglesias) Twitter love: re*tweet by copying and pasting the following into your update field at Twitter:

OK to RT: @Tracy_Iglesias This Week's 'Moment of Gratitude' and Great giveaways! - http://tiny.cc/n4Thx

˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•●•٠·˙

Active Giveaway!

1) Ends 05/31 - Featured Handbag in the Spotlight: Pelle Camden Belted Leather Satchel Giveaway! Winners choice of color! ARV $225 (Birkin Style for the girl who doesn't want to sacrifice style while sticking to her budget!) Enter HERE

˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•●•٠·˙

For those of you who are interested in keeping a gratitude journal this year, here is my recommendation and where to purchase it:
















Make this Your Best Day ever, Bless and Be Blessed!

˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•●•٠·˙

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Ascending Butterfly: Today's Words of Inspiration!


After many days of chaos, I thought today would be a perfect day for some inspiration! I've been hearing a lot of 'I Can't's' in my personal and professional circles lately, and I've been repeating the quote above all week to friends and colleagues!

Today's Quote: Whatever the Mind Can Conceive,  Then Beleive, It CAN Achieve!

I fully beleive this to be true. The fuel to make that possible is true desire. If you don't desire the outcome with your whole heart, you won't be fully invested, and if you are not fully invested in something you will never achieve the results you desire!

Today's Words of Inspiration'
 
Use 'Today's Words of Inspiration' as a breathing meditation to still your mind, quiet your thoughts and bring in positive energy. As you inhale bring in only positive energy by saying in your mind, I breathe in positive energy (or you can say creative energy if that is what you wish to create more of) and as you exhale, Affirm out loud 'I affirm that what I can conceive, I can achieve.'

Spend some time each day enjoying focused breathing AND soul guided meditative visualization, in doing so, you can bring about profound and powerful changes in your life.

Visualize yourself manifesting something unique, guided by universal forces that emerge spontaneously from within your soul. Do this at least twice today and see how by taking a moment away from the hectic pace and breathing in positive energy and affirming what you wish to create, your thinking will become different.

Remember, attitude really does determine altitude.

It is OK to *Re-Tweet* the link to this post and You can find me (@Tracy_Iglesias) on Twitter ! Twitter love: re*tweet by copying and pasting the following into your update field:

@Tracy_Iglesias #ascendingbutterfly - Today's Words of #Inspiration - http://tiny.cc/n4Thx

Make this your best day ever, Bless and Be Blessed!

˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•●•٠·˙

Active Giveaway!



1) Ends 05/31 - Featured Handbag in the Spotlight: Pelle Camden Belted Leather Satchel Giveaway! YOUR choice of color! ARV $225 - Enter HERE!

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I am still sorting through the emails and entries after our servers went down last Wednesday. Winners have not yet been selected for the Earthies, B-Glowing, or 1800Baskets.com giveaways because entries are still slowly being restored to our queue. I don't want to select a winner until I'm sure EVERY entry has been recovered to keep things fair. I thank you all for your patience. Our Borghese Giveaway will launch shortly.

A special thanks to all who came out for the #BWEchat and I hope to see many of you at the upcoming BlogWorld New Media Expo in New York City from May 24-26th. If you are planning on attending, feel free to post here and let me know! I'd love to meet as many of you as possible!

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Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Ascending Butterfly: Wordless Wednesday! - Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides!

Check out Ascending Butterfly at last night's New York City Screening of Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides!


Full Review Coming Soon!

˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•●•٠·˙

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

#BWEchat Twitter Party – WIN a Free Pass to BlogWorld NY and More!


Exciting News Butterflies, I am helping the BlogWorld Expo spread the word that they are coming to NYC this year by co-hosting a Twitter Party! And as always, YOU are invited! Yes 'The Twitter Party DJ' is playing hostess again this week alongside @blogworldexpo 's @allison_boyer - I couldn't be more excited to see the Expo come to New York, while you all know I love to travel, my schedule would not have permitted me taking that week off, so to have the Expo coming to the Big Apple makes it a whole lot easier for me to attend!

BlogWorld will be hosting its first ever virtual Twitter party on Wednesday to help spread the word and answer your questions about the upcoming New York event. It will also be a great way to connect with others who will be attending, so I hope to see you there!

Here are the details:

What: #BWEchat Twitter Party

When: Wednesday, May 18, 2011 at 8:00 PM EST

Where: Twitter!

Twitter parties (also called Twitter chats) are held online, with virtual attendees all following the same hashtag (in this case, #BWEchat). You can follow through Twitter’s main website or a desktop client like Tweetdeck, but they move really quickly, so I recommend using a site like Tweet Grid or Tweet Chat to follow along.

Who: Attendees, speakers, track leaders, BlogWorld staff, and anyone interested in learning more about the conference and meeting others who might be attending or have attended in the past. The chat hosts will be @blogworldexpo and @Tracy_Iglesias so make sure you follow these accounts!

PRIZES: By attending #BWEchat, you’ll have a change to win awesome prizes:
  • TWO 2-Day passes
  • TWO 1-Day passes
  • SIX Exhibits-only passes
This is important: To qualify for one of the prizes, you must tweet the following message sometime between now and the party:
I’m attending #BWEchat Wed 5/18, 8 PM ET. Join us for a chance to win a free pass to BlogWorld NY! http://bit.ly/mDHNXT #BWENY
RSVP: Once you've tweeted, let us know by posting the link to your tweet here: http://www.blogworld.com/2011/05/16/bwechat/

You can tweet it as many times as you want until the chat starts! You must also come to the virtual party on Wednesday and participate by tweeting at least once between 8 PM and 9 PM EST (introduce yourself, shares some tips, ask a question, etc.). We’ll announce the winners throughout the night, so the earlier you get there, the more chances you’ll have to win! If you have a specific question about BlogWorld NYC, please feel free to ask when you leave us your comment with your tweet link, make sure to put your twitter name in the comment field to, so we reply to you directly!

Please remember to RSVP by tweeting and posting the link to your tweets at the link above, do not comment here to RSVP, the RSVP's are being taken directly at blogworld's site!

I hope to see you at the Twitter Party and I hope to see you at the Expo next week too!

˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•●•٠·˙

Monday, May 16, 2011

Got Motivation?


I am still trying to sort through the mess that a routine 'one hour site maintenance' (last Wednesday), left behind. With over 12,000 emails and comment entries still slowly returning, I'll be burning the midnight oil for a few days to get caught up!

My Monday Morning looked like this when I opened my emails:



Can you relate?

As Monday is nearing to a close, I'm still feeling kind of like this:


Our Borghese giveaway will launch shortly, and we will announce winners for both the Earthies and B-Glowing Giveaways soon! (Winners have not yet been selected or notified, they will be soon once we are sure that no entries got lost!)

Don't forget to enter our Active Giveaways for 1800baskets.com (3 winners will receive the basket of their choice under $100) and the Pelle Camden Satchel in your choice of color from Wilsons Leather! (ARV $225)

 
˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•●•٠·˙

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Sunday Moment of Gratitude!



This week, I am grateful for
:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Finally having full access restored to our site and email servers. While I sort through the mess created by my site host, I am also very grateful for YOUR patience. Please do not put in duplicate entries, we are sorting through the entries that were restored after the servers came back, this is going to take some time.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - For a very simple yet profound reminder, that truly made me feel uplifted after reading it. Read these words from Joel Osteen, I hope they make you feel equally inspired:

Get this down in your spirit: God has preordained moments of favor for you. He has already lined up the right people, the right breaks, the right opportunities. He's got amazing things planned out for your future. ~ Joel Osteen

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - I've had a very mixed week this week (and much to share, posts to come), but sometimes negative self talk tries to undermine my optimism, and when it does, I seek inspiration, that's the only way to keep inspiring. When I read the passage above today it truly resonated with me. It spoke directly to my heart. And no, this is NOT a sponsored post, nor should it be interpreted as me endorsing any one religion over another. I take wisdom from all sources, and the words above are a very powerful reminder to step back from day to day frustrations, worries and fears, cast them aside and claim better for yourself. YOU deserve it! And BTW, the Sunday Moment of Gratitude will never be sponsored, it's from my heart to yours!

What are you grateful for today? I'd love for you to write in and share what you are grateful for this week. The more you say it, the more you speak it, and the more you live in gratitude, the more you will find reasons to be grateful for, and the more reasons that the universe will send you to be grateful for. So join me on this journey of gratitude and inspiration. And you can post here daily (even though my list will be posted weekly).

Remember, attitude really does determine altitude.

It is OK to *Re-Tweet* the link to this post and You can find me on Twitter here (@Tracy_Iglesias) Twitter love: re*tweet by copying and pasting the following into your update field at Twitter:

OK to RT: @Tracy_Iglesias This Week's 'Moment of Gratitude' and Great giveaways! - http://tiny.cc/n4Thx

˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•●•٠·˙

Active Giveaways!

1) Ends 05/18 - Basket of YOUR choice $100 and under from 1800baskets, 3 winners! (We thought the deadline for this shouldn't have been affected by the server outage, but if you feel it should be extended because your entry did not appear, just comment on this thread, NOT the giveaway thread and let us know!) Enter HERE

2) Ends 05/31 - Featured Handbag in the Spotlight: Pelle Camden Belted Leather Satchel Giveaway! Winners choice of color! ARV $225 (Birkin Style for the girl who doesn't want to sacrifice style while sticking to her budget!) Enter HERE

˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•●•٠·˙

For those of you who are interested in keeping a gratitude journal this year, here is my recommendation and where to purchase it:
















Make this Your Best Day ever, Bless and Be Blessed!

˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•●•٠·˙

Friday, May 13, 2011

Look Out it's Behind You! Happy Friday the 13th! Cocktails Anyone?



Did I scare you? Did you look back just for a second?

Chaos and Apologies

Friday the 13th Mayhem started a bit early! Wednesday night my site hosting went down and I lost access to the site as well as emails, it's been pandemonium!

Please note while I get things sorted, the entries for ALL current giveaways are being extended to accomodate those who were unable to get entries in during our site maintenance. If you put in entries since Wednesday and noticed they haven't appeared, it's because we didn't have access to our server until now. If you have sent me an email in the last 3 days, please be patient as the email server was also down.

Friday the 13th

I am a horror movie buff, making today a close second to Halloween as my favorite day to watch scary movies. Usually I'll just go to the Theater and catch the newest Horror Movie released today, but this time, my Friday night Wii Game Night with friends, is becoming a Horror Movie themed Fest including some fun cocktails and great eats!

I experimented with some new recipes (and ultimately decided to make some minor alterations to the original recipes! So read the notes alongside recipe ingredients to see where I made changes)

The Stone Place - I am respectfully changing the name of this one to The Stone Grave, I am going to use mini coffins that I have for Halloween decorating and use them as the Coasters for this when I serve it)

Ingredients:

One orange wedge
1/2 oz. Organic Fresh Lemon Juice (I bought lemons at the local market, they may not have been Organic, lol)
3/4 oz. pomegranate grenadine (I couldn't find Pom Grenadine, so I used regular Grenadine)
2 oz. Appleton  Estate Reserve Jamaican Rum
Nutmeg (I omitted this, I'm Not a big Nutmeg Lover, I do have it on hand for guests who like it)

Directions: Shake with orange wedge and ice, and strain into a  chilled coupe dust with nutmeg. (Again, if you don't like Nutmeg, feel free to omit)

Golden Margarita

Ingredients:

⅓ oz Alizé Gold Passion (I prefer Alize Gold, if you prefer one of the other blends of Alize you can substitute)
⅓ oz tequila (I prefer Sauza Silver, it's very smooth and blendable, perfect for Mixed Drinks)
⅓ oz lime juice
1 oz triple sec

Directions: Serve in a margarita glass coated with salt and garnish  with a lime wedge.

Pork Belly Tacos

Both cocktails pair nicely with the Pork Belly Tacos or if you prefer you can make Chicken Tacos (which will also pair very nicely with the Tequila in the Margarita) and one of my personal favorites, Fish Tacos. I'm actually making one of each, Pork, Chicken and Fish!

Ingredients:
·          Soft Tacos
·          Crispy Iceberg Lettuce
·          Pickled Garlic
·          Fresh Lime

Me and my pals will be enjoying cocktails, an assortment of Tacos and some Horror Films tonight, in between movies there will be some Wii time, How do you plan on spending your Friday the 13th?

We will resume our regularly scheduled Mother's Month Buying Guide this weekend with something super special from our friends at Borghese!

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FTC Disclosure: This is a non-compensated Post. No Monetary Exchange took place. I really am a Horror Movie Film Lover and the makers of Appleton Estate Reserve and Alizé Liqueur provided samples to facilitate the making of the cocktails listed in this feature.